


Secrets

by the_tenth_muse1



Category: Firefly
Genre: M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-02-02
Updated: 2003-02-02
Packaged: 2019-04-29 09:38:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14469909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_tenth_muse1/pseuds/the_tenth_muse1
Summary: The 'Verse should watch out when Jayne and River start sharing secrets!





	Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Firefly’s Glow](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Firefly%27s_Glow), and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Firefly's Glow collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/fireflysglow/profile).

 

Secrets

## Secrets

### by nancy

Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be, not making any money from this. 

Warnings: Jayne, and Mal, are potty mouths, as you can see from the first line (even Simon joins in), and there's definitely violence. 

* * *

'Gorram son of a mother-fucking whore!' 

Jayne watched from the corner as the Feds surrounded the others. This, he just did not need! He'd just gotten back on the Cap'n's good side and now Mal was probably thinking he'd gone after money, again. Now what was he supposed to do? It was too long a trip back to Serenity to get Zoe and Wash and Book for help. 

'Okay. Think, Jayne. Think hard and think fast!' 

There were ten official types, and they were all armed. They'd obviously not been expecting a fuss. Given the way River was clinging to her brother, and the protective way Mal stood in front of them both, the Feds were right to expect just that. There was no way the Doc would risk her in a hostile-like situation. Neither would Mal. But they were Feds, after all, and Feds never went anywhere unarmed. 

So all right. He could take out maybe three to five of the Feds on the outside and trust Mal to take care of the others? 

'Fuck!' 

Hoping that Mal would spot him, Jayne pulled both his best guns out and got ready for a charge. 

* * *

This was a right bad spot to be in. Mal looked furiously around for Jayne but couldn't find the asshole anywhere. Beautiful. Betrayed again for trusting that fucker. 

He glanced back at Simon and couldn't help the sinking in his stomach at the desperation in the doctor's eyes. Simon wanted above all to protect River and the only way to do that was to not make a fuss right then. There would come a chance, Mal was sure of it. He tried to convey that to Simon, but could see the other man didn't believe his silent communication. 

Turning back to the Feds, Mal smiled tightly and asked, "What can we do for you gents?" 

The man in charge stepped forward and backhanded Mal. "Shut your mouth and consider yourself lucky we don't throw you in a black hole for aiding these fugitives!" 

Oh fuck no. They weren't just going to let him go!? Holding his jaw, Mal said, "Sorry, sir. Sometimes my mouth just gets away from me. Fugitives did you say? Must be some kind of mistake. These folk here are passengers on my ship. Got all their papers right there. Good and legal-like. Don't take to no fugitives on my ship, no sir!" 

Just a little doubt entered the Fed's eyes and Mal kept his face as innocent and subservient as possible. Fawning, actually. Fawning was always good with Feds. 

Not good enough, though, because the man in charge nodded sharply to someone else and the hard end of something cracked the back of Mal's head. 

As he fell, Mal heard Simon shout his name and saw the doctor struggle against the men holding him, trying to get to Mal. Unfortunately, the good news that heralded, that Simon cared for him, was overwhelmed by pain and darkness. 

* * *

"No! Son of a bitch! Stop! He doesn't have anything to do with this!" Simon shouted as the Feds kicked and punched until Mal was bloodied and looked beyond repair. When they were done, the man who'd always been so strong lay like a broken doll on the ground. Simon's heart lurched at the sight and he struggled as fierce as he could to get to Mal. River was screaming at a pitch that was sure to break glass. 

Despite all this, no one came to their rescue. The town people avoided looking at them and the Serenity crew was nowhere to be found. 

"Damn you! This could happen to you, too!" Simon ranted at those on the sidelines. "We've done nothing wrong! Nothing! Help us, for God's sake!" 

But no one did. 

At least, not before something slammed into his head and drove Simon down into the darkness of unconsciousness. The last thing he saw was the heartbreaking vision of Mal's bleeding face. 

* * *

Everything bad always happened in slow motion. It was like being in a video, but having control of it, too. Everything moved along at regular speed until the worst happened. River saw big Jayne at the edge of the building, looking for a time to help. She started screaming the moment Simon began shouting and the bad men started beating Daddy Mal. 

One of the bad men had her real tight, but there was no way he could keep hold of her. Not when Simon was hurt. Nothing could ever keep her from Simon. 

Stilling her body all sudden-like, River's voice ceased as well. The quiet signaled the beginning of the slow motion period. She saw a leg begin its arc towards Simon and calmly reached backwards, slipping her captor's gun free. Though it seemed slow enough to her, she wondered how fast she really moved when she saw the astonished look on Jayne's face as she shot the head off the man holding her. 

One thing River had to give Big Jayne was that when bullets started flying, he moved real fast and slippery. 

Three more of the Feds were dead before anyone even realized that River had a gun. Jayne took out four on the run and just as the last two turned to River, guns coming up, she shot them both between the eyes. 

The bodies weren't even settled on the ground when River threw the weapon away and dropped to her knees beside Simon. Careful, careful, she thought, pulling him onto her lap and gently brushing hair from his face. 

Looking up at Jayne, she said seriously, "Simon and Daddy Mal shouldn't know. No one should, but people are easy to shoot when you know how they're gonna move." 

Big Jayne looked back at her, but there wasn't fear in his eyes, there was respect. Something River didn't think anyone had ever shown her, not even Simon. 

"Yeah. I get what you mean," Big Jayne agreed, crouching beside her. "We'll keep this a secret, how's that?" 

Smiling, happy that he understood, River nodded and continued to stroke Simon's hair. 

* * *

The pain wasn't nearly as bad as Mal expected, considering that Feds liked to play rough with their toys. Then again, he was lying on something almost soft, not the ground. Confused, he opened his eyes and discovered himself in medical, on Serenity. Simon was beside him, gently washing a bad cut on Mal's arm. Clearing his throat, Mal greeted, "Hey." 

Simon smiled at him. "Hey yourself. How do you feel?" 

"Confused," Mal answered honestly. "Shouldn't I be dead?" 

Simon nodded and said, "Probably. Jayne said that he and a couple of the town people got to us before the Feds could cart us off. Also that we shouldn't go back to that planet, even if there is still a job there." 

Nothing that Mal could, or would, argue with there. "Sure. Not a problem. How's River?" 

At that, Simon frowned. "I'm not really sure. It's almost as though nothing happened. Like she's repressed the whole memory." 

"Is that bad?" 

"Not bad, just impossible given what they did to her." 

Right. The messing around in her brain thing. "I expect she'll talk about it when she wants to." 

"I hope so." 

Mal reached out and stopped Simon from moving away. The doctor's eyes were wide and uncertain, so Mal smiled, soft as he could. "I heard you, saw a bit, too. You ah, you think maybe we could be something together?" 

Simon hesitated then said, "I didn't expect this kind of reprieve. Honestly, with the amount of times we've all cheated death and imprisonment, I shouldn't expect any more good luck of any kind." 

Not sure where the other was going with that train of thought, Mal asked, "Which means...?" 

"I feel very superstitious about saying yes, Mal. How much good fortune am I allowed?" 

Now that, Mal could understand. He brought Simon forward, sitting up as he did so. "As much as you need until you get the life you deserve, Simon." 

Thankfully, Simon didn't resist when Mal tugged him down for a long, sweet kiss. He just didn't have enough strength in him to fight anyone just then. Especially when fighting was the last thing on his mind. 

* * *

'Well doesn't that just figure.' 

Jayne sighed heavily as he withdrew from the edge of the med-bay. Why was it everyone seemed to get what they wanted but for him? Zoe had Wash. Kaylee had Inara. Shepard had his Faith and now, Simon had Mal. 

Clearing his throat and shoving down the jealousy, Jayne stomped down the hall, stopping abruptly when River jumped in front of him. "Jesus! River, girl, don't do that!" 

She smiled brightly at him and held out a hand. "Need a partner. Gonna play a game." 

Jayne snorted right off, then shrugged. Why the gorram hell not? He didn't have anything else to be doing. Taking the delicate hand in his, he fell into step with her. "All right. But I'm not doin' no damned dressup thing, got it?" 

River's giggle echoed through the hall. 

"River? I mean it, now! I won't do it!" 

More merry giggles and a reluctant baritone laugh to underscore it. 

"All right then. But don't you tell no one." 

#### If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to nancy


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